A new month for new beginnings, new mindsets, and new intentions.

UNIVERSITY NEWS AND EVENTS

A Quantum Science Education and Research Program for HBCUs:

Exotic Physics and Applications of Solid-State Qubits 

Congratulations to Sugata Chowdhury, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy. He and his colleagues from Howard University, Antonio Levy, Assistant Professor of Physics and Kim Lewis, Professor of Physics; and Arun Bansil and Swastik Kar, Professors from Northeastern University won a five year $4.25M grant from the National Science Foundation, entitled, A Quantum Science Education and Research Program for HBCUs: Exotic Physics and Applications of Solid-State Qubits. Quantum information science and engineering (QISE) is widely recognized as a key driver for realizing game-changing scientific breakthroughs and transformative new quantum computing, sensing, and communication technologies for ensuring national security and maintaining the economic competitiveness of the U.S. It is necessary to build partnerships between academia, national laboratories, and industry to effectively advance the QISE forefront by engaging a diverse workforce.  

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) lack the needed faculty strength and laboratory infrastructure for QISE training of students. This five-year project aims to fill this critical gap by establishing an expansive QISE research and training program at Howard University (HU) in close partnership with Northeastern University, where quantum research and education programs are well-established. Collaborating national laboratories and industries are: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), IBM, Quantum Design, and Qnami. The scientific focus of the project is on modeling, discovery, understanding, and applications of quantum bits or qubits, which are the key components of the QISE ecosystem, much as the classical bits underlie the modern electronics revolution. This effort will also provide a roadmap for other HBCUs and Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) throughout the U.S. to propel themselves toward leadership roles in QISE. 

The Office: Welcome Dr. Asharf to COAS

Welcome and congratulations to Dr. Arif Ashraf, a new faculty in the Department of Biology. Dr. Ashraf’s research is focused on cell biology using plants as a model system. Recently, his articles have been published in the American Society of Plant Biologists’ journal Plant Physiology, September issue. The articles reference the various functions of different cell types that are generated through the process of asymmetric cell division. During the asymmetric cell division, one cell divides and produces two cells with different functions. As a result, for any multicellular organism, such as humans, the asymmetric cell division is an important event. 

To read more about the various articles, please click the link below.

HU Students Travels to Belize: A Maya Archaeological Excavation 

This summer, Howard University students partnered with Lincoln University students to travel to Belize City. The group was accompanied by Associate Professor, Dr. Elanor King from the Department of Sociology and Criminology, and other professors from Lincoln University. A report written by Class of 2023 students Danielle Andrews and Hope Garners discusses an Archaeological Excavation. While visiting Belize City students were taught how to survey and map archaeological sites, collect, and analyze soil samples, and properly excavate archaeological sites by Dr. King and her staff. 

To read more about their experience through Belize City, please click the report below. 

COAS Faculty Leads Pandonia Workshop

On Oct. 3-5, 2023, Dr. Joseph Wilkins,an Assistant Professor in Dept. of Earth, Environment and Equity (E3) and colleagues will be hosting the Pandonia Global Network 2^nd Users Group Workshop on Howard University campus. The 2nd annual user group workshop will have 75 attendees from the US, and 14 nations. The event will feature ground infrastructure for the recently-launched Tempo satellite. The tempo satellite is NASA's first Earth Venture Instrument mission, which will measure pollution in the atmosphere.

Since 2019 the NASA Pandora and ESA-Pandonia project have been collaborating to coordinate and facilitate the expansion of a global network (named Pandonia Global Network (PGN) of standardized, calibrated Pandora instruments focused on monitoring of air quality and changes to atmospheric composition. As of October 2022, the PGN comprises of 128 sites. The collaborative effort endeavors to ensure systematic processing and dissemination of PGN data to the international community of researchers, regulators, and the public. A major joint objective is to support the calibration, validation, and verification of more than a dozen low-earth and geostationary orbit-based UV-visible sensors from the United States, Europe, and Asia, including TEMPO, EPIC on DSCOVR, Sentinel 5P, Sentinel 4, and GEMS.

To learn more about Pandonia Global Network, click the link below.

The Bison League: Football Edition

Leading in Sports Management

Ricky Clemons, Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Health Human Performance and Leisure Studies proposed and secured sponsorship from Events DC to host a one-week sport management camp featuring E-Sports . Clemons and Deborah Johnson, Master Instructor, served as camp directors. The Howard University Sport Management Camp was held August 14 -18, 2023 at the Blackburn Center and Burr Gymnasium.  

Campers ranging from ages 14 to 22 years of age focused on behind-the-scenes tours by facilities directors from the Washington Convention Center, Capital One Arena, Nationals Park, Entertainment and Sports Arena and Audi Field. Campers, recruited from Deanwood Recreation Center and Kennedy Recreation Center, received breakfast, lunch, back sacks,  t-shirts, and certificates of completion. 

Master Instructor Deborah Johnson coordinated the E-Sports competition with Bison E-Sports team members Kamryn Tate (Junior from the College of Engineering and Arts) and Ahmad Whitaker (Senior from Computer Information Systems, Cyber Security, School of Business).  

After four days of preparation, Ahmad and Kamryn led the campers in a spirited competition on the final day.

Summer 2023 Highlights from the Center for African Studies 

Dr. Phiwokuhle Mnyandu, the Center for African Studies' new Assistant Director, took students abroad and introduced the first-ever HU Zulu Study Abroad Program in South Africa, which was covered by the main South African news channel, and Newzroom Afrika.Voice of America featured African languages at Howard University and spoke with Dr. Krista Johnson, the center's director. 

During the Summer, Dr. Vanessa Oyugi and Brenda Randolph from the outreach team hosted the Summer Institute for Educators, where experts spoke on how archaeology is transforming our understanding of medieval West Africa, among other activities throughout the summer from the Center for African Studies. The department also provided a professional development course on humanitarian security given by Michael Walsh. The most recent delegation from the United States was welcomed by Dr. Johnson. 

To view Dr. Johnson interview, please click the link below.

Grants Enhancement Training Academy

Dean Patterson and the College of Arts and Sciences Grants Management Team are pleased to announce the launch of The COAS "Grants Enhancement Training Academy"! This Academy will further the mission of Howard University and the College of Arts and Sciences: Research, Mentorship/Teaching, Service, and Research 1 status. In addition to the overall mission, the objectives of the G.E.T. Academy here are the following:

- To build faculty members' confidence in the area of grants management and increase application rates, including interdisciplinary research, in the College of Arts and Sciences,

-To educate faculty members' on the three major stages of the grants life-cycle (pre-award, award, and post-award) along with sponsoring agency and Howard University policies and procedures associated with each stage, and

-To establish a fun learning environment and increase camaraderie amongst colleagues, and trust between the COAS Pre- and Post-Award Grants Management Team and COAS faculty.

We invite all faculty to join us in the launch of the G.E.T. Academy, beginning with two Kick-Off Lunch and Learn Sessions to be held on September 28, 2023 and September 29, 2023. Please stay tuned into your email and the COAS Weekly Newsletter for forthcoming information on how you can participate in this amazing initiative!